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CECIL  AIDIM 


JORROCKS  ON  'UNTING  BY  R.  S. 
SURTEES  «r  *  PICTURES  BY 
CECIL  ALDIN  ¥  PUBLISHED 
BY  E.  P.  DUTTON  AND  CO. 
NEW  YORK     «;     ¥     ^     MCMIX 


REPRODUCED 

AND    PRINTED    BY 

BALLANTYNE    AND    CO.    LTD- 

TAVISTOCK    STREET,    COVENT    GAKDFN 

LONDON  5r  ^  ^  ^  MCMIX 


Precisely  as  the  clock  was  done  striking 
seven,  Mr.  Jorrocks  ascended  the  platform, 
attended  by  a  few  friends,  and  was  received 
with  loud  cheers  from  the  gentlemen,  and  the 
waving  of  handkerchiefs  from  the  lady  part  of 
the  audience.  When  the  applause  had  sub- 
sided, Mr.  Jorrocks  advanced  to  the  front 
of  the  platform,  and  thus  addressed  the 
audience  : — 

"  Frinds  and  fellow-countrymen  !     Lend  me 
your  ears.     That's  to  say,  listen  to  wot  I'm 

3 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

agoin'  to  say  to  you.  This  night  I  shall  en- 
lighten you  on  the  all-important  ceremony  of 
takin'  the  field.     (Loud  applause.) 

"  Takin'  the  Field  !  "  repeated  he,  throwing 
out  his  arms,  and  casting  his  eyes  up  at  the 
elegant  looping  of  his  canopy.  "  Takin'  the 
Field  !  glorious  sound  !  wot  words  can  convey 
anything  'alf  so  delightful  ? 

"  In  my  mind's  eye  I  see  the  'ounds  in  all 
their  glossy  pride  a  trottin'  around  Arterxerxes, 
who  stamps  and  whinnies  with  delight  at  their 
company.  There's  old  Pristess  with  her 
speckled  sides,  lookin'  as  wise  as  a  Christian, 
and  Trusty,  and  Tuneable,  and  Warrior,  and 
Wagrant  and  Workman,  and  Wengence,  and 
all  the  glorious  comrades  o'  the  chase. 

"  But  to  the  pint.  Ingenious  youth,  having 
got  his  'oss,  and  learned  to  tackle  him,  let  me 
now,  from  the  bonded  warehouse  of  my  know- 
ledge, prepare  him  for  the  all-glorious  ceremony 
of  the  'unt. 

"  Bliss  my  'eart,  wot  a  many  ways  there  is 
4 


JORROCKS    ON    -UNTING 

of  enjoyin'  the  chase,"  continued  Mr.  Jorrocks, 
"  and  'ow  one  man  is  led  into  folly  and  ex- 
travagance by  another  !  Because  great  Sampson 
Stout,  who  rides  twenty  stun',  with  the  nerves 
of  a  steam-hengine,  keeps  twelve  'unters  and 
two    'acks,    little    Tommy     Titmouse,    who 
scarcely  turns  nine  with  his  saddle,  must  have 
as  many,  though  he  dare  hardly  ride  over  a 
water  furrow.     Because  Sir  Yawnberry  Dawdle, 
who  lies  long  in  bed,  sends  on,  Mr.  Larkspur, 
who  is  up  with  the  sun,  must  needs  do  the  same, 
though  he  is  obliged  to  put  off  time,  lest  he 
should    arrive    afore    his    'oss.     Because    Lady 
Giddyfool  puts  a  hyacinth  in  her  lord's  button- 
'ole,  every  hass  in  his  'unt  must  send  to  Covent 
Garden   to   get   some.     I   werrily   believes,   if 
a  lord  was  to  stick  one  of  my  peacock  Gabriel 
Junks's  feathers  in  his  'at,  there  would  be  fools 
to  follow  his  example  ;   out  upon  them,  say  I  : 
'unting   is   an   expensive   amusement   or   not, 
jest  as  folks  choose  to  make  it. 

"  There's  a  nasty  word  called  '  can't,'  that 

5 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

does  an  infinity  of  mischief.  One  can't  'unt 
without  eight  'osses  ;  one  can't  do  without 
two  'acks  ;  one  can't  ride  in  a  country  saddle  ; 
one  can't  do  this,  and  one  can't  do  that — 
hang  your  can'ts  !  Let  a  man  look  at  those 
below  him  instead  o'  those  above,  and 
think  'ow  much  better  hoff  he  is  nor  they. 
(Applause.)  Surely  the  man  with  one  'oss  is 
better  off  than  the  man  with  none  !  (Re- 
newed applause.) 

"  Believe  me,  my  beloved  'earers,  if  a  man's 
inclined  for  the  chase,  he'll  ride  a'most  anything, 
or  valk  sooner  than  stay  at  'ome.  I  often 
thinks,  could  the  keen  foot-folks  change  places 
with  the  fumigatin'  yards  o'  leather  and  scarlet, 
wot  a  much  better  chance  there  would  be 
for  the  chase  !  They,  at  all  events,  come  out 
from  a  genuine  inclination  for  the  sport,  and 
not  for  mere  show-sake,  as  too  many  do. 

"  Dash  my  vig,  wot  men  I've  seen  in  the 
'unting-field  !  men  without  the  slightest  notion 
of  'unting,  but  who  think  it  right  to  try  if 
6 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

they  like  it,   jest  as  they  would  try  smokin' 
or  eaten'  olives  after  dinner. 

"  '  You  should  get  a  red  coat,  and  join  the 


'unt,'  says  a  young  gen'leman's  old  aunt ;  and 
forthwith  our  hero  orders  two  coats  of  the 
newest  cut,  five  pair  of  spurs,  ten  pair  of 
breeches,  twenty  pair  of  boots,  waistcoats  of 

7 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

every  cut  and  figure,  a  bunch  of  whips,  dia- 
chulum  drawers,  a  cigar-case  for  his  pocket,  a 
pocket  siphonia,  a  sandwich-case  for  one  side, 
and  a  shoe-case  for  t'other,  and  keeps  a  hair- 
bed  afloat  agin  he  comes  'ome  with  a  broken 
leg.     (Laughter   and   applause.) 

"  The  custom  of  riding  in  scarlet  is  one  it 
becomes  me  to  speak  upon  ; — I  doesn't  know 
nothin'  about  the  hantiquity  of  it,  or  whether 
Julius  Caesar,  or  any  other  of  those  antient 
covies,  sported  it  or  not  ;  but,  like  most 
subjects,  a  good  deal  may  be  said  on  both  sides 
of  the  question.  There's  no  doubt  it's  a  good 
colour  for  wear,  and  that  it  tends  to  the 
general  promotion  of  fox-'unting,  seeing  that 
two-thirds  of  the  men  wot  come  out  and 
subscribe  wouldn't  do  so  if  they  had  to  ride  in 
black.  Still,  I  think  ingenuous  youth  should 
not  be  permitted  to  wear  it  at  startin',  for  a 
scarlet  coat  in  the  distance,  though  chock  full 
of  hignorance,  is  quite  as  allurin'  as  when  it 
encloses  the  most  experienced  sportsman. 
8 


jORROCKS    ON   ^UNTING 

"  Youngsters  should  be  cautious  o'  spurs  ; 
— they  may  use  them  wot  is  called  inconti- 
nently, and  get  into  grief.  I  disagree  with 
Geoff ry  Gambado,  who  recommends  the  free 
use  of  them,  as  tendin'  to  keep  the  blood  in 
circulation  and  preventin'  one's  toes  catchin' 
cold.  He  recommends  spurrin'  i'  the  shoulder, 
where  he  says  an  'oss  has  most  feelin',  because 
he  has  most  weins  ;  adding,  that  by  spurrin' 
at  his  body,  five  times  in  six  your  labour  is 
lost ;  for  if  you  are  a  short  man,  you  spur  the 
saddle-cloth  only  ;  if  a  leggy  one,  you  never 
touch  him  at  all ;  and  if  middlin',  the  rider 
wears  out  his  own  girths,  without  the  'oss  being 
a  bit  the  better  for  it ;  but  my  own  opinion  is, 
that  the  less  ingenuous  youth  uses  them  the 
better. 

"  Flattery  is  easier  accomplished  than  wit, 
and  the  meet  is  a  place  where  butter,  with 
a  little  knowledge,  will  go  a  long  way.  All 
masters  of  'ounds  like  praise.  Some  are  so 
fond  on  it,  that  they  butter   themselves.     If 

II 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

you  see  'ounds'  ribs,  and  their  loins  are  well 
filled,  and  flanks  hollow,  you  may  say  they 
look  like  their  work  ;    if  they're  fat,  say  they 


arc  werry  even  in  condition  ;  if  lean,  that 
they  look  like  goin'  a  bust  ;  if  jest  noways  in 
'ticklar,  you  can't  get  wrong  if  you  say  you 
never  saw  a  nicer  lot.  If  you  see  some  with  clips 
on   the  hears,   or   along   the   backs,   you    may 

1!2 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

conclude  they  are  new  comers,  and  ax  where 
they  are  from.  Rich  coloured  'ounds  you  may 
liken  to  the  Belvoir,  and  then  you  can  talk  of 
Goodhall  and  Guider,  or  of  the  Quorn  True- 
man,  or  even  go  back  as  far  as  Furrier  and 
Hosbaldeston  ;  and  swear  you  never  saw  sich 
legs  and  feet  ;  in  short,  let  legs  and  feet,  or  legs 
and  loins,  be  the  burthen  of  your  song.  Beware 
of  callin'  'ounds  dogs,  or  sterns  tails.  Sich  a 
slip  would  make  the  M.F.H.  turn  tail  on  you 
directly. 

**  It  looks  werry  knowin'  to  take  a  bit  o' 
biscuit  out  of  your  pocket,  as  you  are  lookin' 
over  the  'ounds,  and  make  them  rise  on  their 
hind  legs  to  receive  it,  while  you  scrutinise 
them  werry  attentively.  This  is  a  most  scientific 
proceedin'  and  will  immediately  stamp  you 
as  a  werry  knowin'  'and,  if  not  for  an  M.F.H. 
himself.  Still  let  your  talk  be  of  legs  and  loins, 
with  an  occasional  mention  of  helbows  and 
shoulders.  Perfection  !  symmetry  !  'andsome  ! 
level  !      bone  !     breedin'  !     condition  !     Lord 

13 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

'Enry  !  Sir  Richard,  Sir  Tatton,  Mr.  Jorrocks, 
— are  terms  that  may  be  thrown  in  at  random, 
jest  as  the  butter  seems  to  go  down.  If, 
however,  ingenuous  youth's  afraid  o'  bein' 
tempted  out  of  his  depth,  it's  a  safe  wentur  to 
look  werry  approvinly  at  the  pack  generally, 
and  then  say  that  '  they're  larger  nor  some 
he  has  seen,  and  not  so  large  as  others.' 
(Laughter.)  In  sayin'  this,  it  may  p'raps  be 
well  jest  to  feel  his  'oss  with  the  spur,  so  as  to 
make  him  wince,  which  will  give  him  an  excuse 
for  withdrawin'  on  the  score  o'  being  afear'd 
o'  kickin'  the  'ounds,  and  save  him  from  bein' 
axed  to  name  the  larger  or  smaller  packs  he's 
seen,   which   might   be   inconwenient. 

"  'Untsmen  are  either  'eaven-born  or  hidiots 
— there's  no  medium.  Every  schoolboy  can 
criticise  their  performance.  Its  'stonishin'  how 
quickly  'untsmen  are  run  up  and  down,  jest 
like  the  funds,  with  the  bulls  and  the  bears. 
As  no  M.F.H.  keeps  what  he  considers  a  fool, 
it  may  be  well  to  commence  in  the  soapy  line  ; 
H 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

for  even  though  a  master  may  abuse  a  servant 
himself,  he  may  not  fancy  his  field  doing  so  too. 

"  Let  us  s'pose  the  last,  last  fumigatin'  piece 
o'  conceit  has  cast  up,  and  the  M.F.H.  gives  the 
hoffice  to  the  'untsman  to  throw  off.  'Osses' 
'eads  turn  one  way,  th'  'ounds  brisk  up  at  the 
move,  the  coffee-room  breaks  up,  frinds  pair 
off  to  carry  out  jokes,  while  the  foot  people 
fly  to  the  'ills,  and  the  bald-'eaded  keeper 
stands  'at  in  'and  at  the  gate,  to  let  th'  'ounds 
into  cover. 

"  '  Eleu  in  I '  at  length  cries  the  'untsman, 
with  a  wave  of  his  'and,  and  in  an  instant  his 
'osses'  'eels  are  deserted.  The  vipper-in  has 
scuttled  round  the  cover,  and  his  rate  and 
crack  are  'eard  on  the  far  side.  '  Gently, 
Conqueror  !  Conqueror,  have  a  care  !  Ware 
are  !    ware  are  !  '  " 

Mr.  Jorrocks  then  took  his  newly  bound 
Beckford  from  the  table  at  the  back  of  the 
platform,  and  read  as  follows  : — 

"  *  'Ow  musical  their  tongues  !     And  as  they 

15 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

get  near  to  him,  'ow  the  chorus  fills  !  'Ark  ! 
he  is  found.  Now,  vere  are  all  your  sorrows 
and  your  cares,  ye  gloomy  souls  !  or  where 
your  pains  and  aches,  ye  complainin'  ones  ! 
one  hoUoo  has  dispelled  them  all.  Vot  a  crash 
they  make  !  and  hecho  seeminly  takes  pleasure 
to  repeat  the  sound.  The  'stonished  traveller 
forsakes  his  road  ;  lured  by  its  melody,  the 
listenin'  ploughman  now  stops  his  plough, 
and  every  distant  shepherd  neglects  his  flock, 
and  runs  to  see  him  break.  Vot  joy  1  vot 
heagerness  in  every  face  !  ' 

"  Now,"  said  Mr.  Jorrocks,  smacking  his 
lips  again,  "  that's  what  I  call  real  prime  stuff 
— the  concentrated  essence  of  'untin' — the 
XXX  of  sportin',  so  different  from  the  wire- 
spun,  wishy-washy  yarns  of  modern  penny-a- 
liners,  who  smother  their  meanin'  (if  they 
have  any)  in  words.  If  I've  read  Peter  once, 
I've  read,  him  a  hundred  times,  and  yet  I  finds 
somethin'  fresh  to  admire  every  time.  Wernor 
and  Hood,  Birchin  Lane,  published  this  edition 
i6 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

in  1796  ;  and  on  the  title-page  is  pasted  a 
hextract  from  a  newspaper  that  would  adorn 
a  monument.  '  Monday,  8th  March,  181 1,  at 
his  seat,  Stapleton,  in  Dorsetshire,  Peter 
Beckford,  Esq.,  aged  70.  Mr.  Beckford  was 
a  celebrated  fox-'unter,and  hauthor  of  "Letters 
on  'unting." '  There's  an  inscription  for  a 
marble  monument  !  '  Multum  hi  farvo,''  as 
Pomponius  Ego  would  say.  Blow  me  tight  ! 
but  I  never  looks  at  Billy  Beckford  supplicatin' 
the  king  on  his  marble  monument  in  Guildhall, 
but  I  exclaims,  '  Shake  Billy  from  his  pedestal 
and  set  up  Peter  !  '     (Hisses  and  applause.) 

"  I  once  wrote  my  epitaph,  and  it  was  werry 
short, — 

'  Hie  jacet  Jorrocks  ' 

was  all  wot  I  said  ;  but  the  unlettered  'untsman, 
or  maybe  M.F.H.,  might  pass  me  by,  jest  as 
he  would  a  dead  emperor.  Far  different 
would  it  be  should  this  note  follow, — '  Mr.  J. 
was  a  celebrated  fox-hunter,  and  lectorer  upon 
c  17 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

'unting.'    Then  would  the  saunterin'  sportsman 
pause  as  he  passed,  and  drop  a  tribute  to  the 


memory  of  one  who  loved  the  chase  so  well. 
But  I'm  gettin'  prosaic  and  off  the  line.     Let  us 
'ark   back   into   cover  !     The   chase,    I   sings  ! 
Let's  see. 
18 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

"  We  had  jest  found  our  fox.  Well,  then, 
let's  at  Peter  again,  for  there's  no  one  boils 
one  hup  into  a  gallop  like  him.  Here's  a 
description  of  the  thief  o'  the  world  afore  he 
breaks."     Mr.   Jorrocks   reads  : — 

"  '  Mark  'ow  he  runs  the  cover's  hutmost 
limits,  yet  dares  not  wentur  forth  ;  the  'ounds 
are  still  too  near.  That  check  is  lucky  I  Now, 
if  our  frinds  'ead  him  not,  he  will  soon  be  off ! ' 

"  Talli-ho  !  "  screamed  Mr.  Jorrocks,  at 
the  top  of  his  voice.  "  Dash  my  vig,  that's 
the  cry !  "  continued  he,  holding  his  hand 
in  the  air.  "  '  See  'ov/  pale  the  gen'leman  in 
light  scarlet  and  bishop's  boots  is  turnin',  and 
how  delighted  old  Jack  Rasper,  in  the  cut-away 
olive,  broad  cords,  and  hoganys  is ;  his  low- 
crowned  'at's  in  the  hair,  for  he  sees  the  warmint, 
a  sight  more  glorious  nor  the  lord  mayor's 
show ;  yet  he  'oUoas  not !  Ah,  it's  talli-ho 
back !  The  fox  is  'eaded  by  yon  puppy  in 
purple,  strikin'  a  light  on  the  pommel  of  his 
saddle,     'Ope  he'll  soon  be   sick  !     Th'  'ounds 

19 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

turn   short,    and   are   at   him    again.     Have   at 
him,  my  beauties  !     Have  at  him,  my  darlin's ! 


Have  at  him,  I  say  !  Yonder  he  goes  at  t'other 
end  ! — now  he's  away  !  Old  Rasper  has  him 
again  !  *'  Talli-ho,  away  !  "  he  cries.  The  old 
low-crowned  'at's  in  the  hair,  and  now  every 
man  'oops  and  'olloas  to  the  amount    of    his 

20 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

superscription.     Twang  !    twang  !    twang  !  goes 
the  Percival ;    crack  !     crack  !     crack  I    go  the 


whips  :  'ounds,  'osses,  and  men,  are  in  a  glorious 
state  of  excitement  !  Full  o'  beans  and  bene- 
volence !  ' 

"  So  am  I,  my  beloved  'carers,"  observed 
Mr.  Jorrocks,  after  a  pause  ;  "  and  must  let 
off  some  steam,  or  I  shall  be  teachin'  you  to 
over-ride  the  'ounds."     So  saying,  Mr.  Jorrocks 

21 


JORROCKS    ON^UNTING 

retired  to  the  back  of  the  platform,  and  cooled 
himself  with  a  fresh  glass  of  hot  brandy  and 
water.  Presently  he  returned,  and  thus  re- 
sumed his   discourse. 

"  Oh  !  my  beloved  'earers,  if  I  had  been  at 
the  great  Mr.  Pomponius  Hego's  helbow  when 
in  describin'  this  critical  period  of  the  chase 
he  penned  the  words  '  go  along,  there  are  three 
couple  of  'ounds  on  the  scent,'  I'd  ha'  seen  if 
I  couldn't  ha'  got  him  to  put  in  '  now  'old 
your  jaws,  and  'old  'ard  !  and  let  'em  settle 
quietly  to  the  scent.'  Believe  me,  my  beloved 
'earers,  the  words  '  go  along,  there  are  three 
couple  of  'ounds  on  the  scent,'  have  lost  many 
a  run  and  saved  the  life  of  many  a  warmint. 
'Ow  I  likes  to  see  the  'ounds  come  quietly  out, 
settlin'  and  collectin'  together,  gradually  mend- 
ing their  pace  as  they  go,  till  they  brew  up  a 
reg'lar  bust.  That's  the  way  to  make  the  foxes 
cry  '  Capevi ! '  "  added  he.  (Laughter  and 
applause.) 

"  Well,    then,    my   beloved   'earers,    glorious 

22 


JORROCKS    ON   ^UNTING 

talli-ho  !  talli-ho  ! — whose  very  echo  kivers 
me  all  over  with  the  creeps — is  holloaed  and 
repeated,  and  responded  and  re-echoed,  and 
th'  'ounds  are  settlin'  to  the  scent.  As  soon  as 
ever  you  'ear  the  cry,  make  up  your  minds 
either  to  go  on  or  go  'ome.  But  I  won't 
s'pose  that  any  man  will  stop  stirrin'  till  the 
puddin's  done  ;  at  all  ewents,  not  till  he  sees 
a  fence,  so  thrust  your  'eads  well  into  your  'ats, 
tighten  your  reins,  'arden  your  'earts,  and  with 
elbows  and  legs,  elbows  and  legs,  get  forrard 
to  the  'ounds."  Mr.  Jorrocks  suiting  the 
action  to  the  word,  straddling  and  working 
an  imaginary  horse  with  his  arms. 

"  Now  we  are  away  !  The  cover's  wacated, 
and  there's  not  another  within  four  miles, 
which  courtesy  will  call  fourteen  !  Vich  vay's 
the  vind  ?  South-east,  as  I  live.  Then  he's 
away  for  Brammelkite  Brake  !  Now  for  your 
topographical  dictionaries,  or,  vot  is  still  better, 
some  gemman  with  a  map  of  the  country  in 
his  'ead.     The  field  begins  to  settle  into  places, 

23 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

like  folks  at  the  play.     If  there's  no  parson  to 
pilot   the   way,    gen'lemen   with   'osses   to   sell 


IS^^^O 


111/ ";, 


a  ^,  V 


take  the  first  rank.  Every  one  now  sees  who 
are  there,  and  many  may  be  wantin'  at  the  end 
to  tell  who  come  in  so  ;  a  rasper  well  negotiated 
at  this  time  o'  day  has  sold  many  a  screw. 
After  the  gen'lemen  with  'osses  to  sell  comes 
H 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

the  'untsman,  entreatin'  the  gen'lemen  with 
'osses  to  sell  not  to  press  upon  the  'ounds  ; 
but  as  he  only  talks  to  their  backs,  they  regard 
the  exhortation  as  a  mere  figure  o'  speech. 
The  top-sawyers  of  the  'unt  will  be  close  on 
the  'untsman.  There  will  not  be  many  of 
these  ;  but  should  there  be  a  barrack  in  the 
neighbourhood,  some  soger  officers  will  most 
likely  mex  up  and  ride  at  the  'ardest  rider 
among  'em.  The  dragon  soger  officer  is  the 
most  dangerous,  and  may  be  known  by  the 
viskers  under  his  nose.  A  foot  soger  officer's 
'oss  is  generally  better  in  his  wind  than  on  his 
legs.  They  generally  wear  chin  wigs,  and 
always  swear  the  leaps  are  nothin'  compared 
with  those  in  the  county  they  came  from — 
Cheapside,  p'raps. 

"  In  the  wake  of  the  top-sawyers  and  soger 
officers  will  come  your  steady  two  'oss  men,  their 
eyes  to  the  'ounds,  their  thoughts  in  the  chase, 
regardless  of  who  crams  or  who  cranes.  These 
generally  wear  cords,  their  viskers  are  greyish, 

P  25 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

and  their  brown  top-boots  look  as  if  they  have 
never  been  wite. 

"  The  '  safe  pilot '  is  generally  a  man  with  a 


broad  back,  clad  in  bottle-green,  with  plain 
metal  buttons,  white  neckcloth,  striped  veskit, 
drab  kerseys,  with  ribbons  danglin'  over  a 
'hogany  top  ;  or  maybe  in  the  scarlet  coat  of 
the  'unt,  with  a  hash-plant,  to  denote  that  he 
is  a  gate-opener,  and  not  a  leaper  :  a  man  of 
this  sort  will  pilot  a  youngster  all  day  without 
ridin'  over  a  fence.  He  knows  every  twist, 
every  turn,  every  gate,  every  gap,  in  the  country, 
and  though  sometimes  appearin'  to  ride  away 
26 


JORROCKS    ON   ^UNTING 

from  the  'ounds,  by  skirtin'  and  nickin',  will 
often  gain  Reynard's  p'int  afore  them — p'raps 
afore  Reynard  himself  ! 


"  Gentlemen  wot  take  their  ideas  of  'unting 
from  Mr.  Hackermann's  pictor-shop  in  Regent's 
Street  must  have  rum  notions  of  the  sport. 
There  you  see  red  laps  flyin'  out  in  all  directions, 
and  'osses  apparently  to  be  had  for  catchin'. 
True,  that  in  'unting  men  will  roll  about — but 
so  they  will  on  the  road  ;  and  I'd  rayther  have 
two  bumps  in  a  field  than  one  on  a  pike.  Danger 
is    everywhere  !      An    accomplished    frind    of 


JORROCKS    ON'UNTING 

mine  says,  '  Impendet  omnibus  periculum ' — 
Danger  'angs  over  an  omnibus  :  and  '  Mors 
omnibus  est  communis,' — You  may  break  your 
neck  in  an  omnibus :  but  are  we,  on  that 
account,  to  shun  the  wehicle  of  which  the 
same  great  scholar  says,  '  Wirtus  parvo  pretio 
hcet  ab  omnibus,' — Wirtue  may  ride  cheap 
in  an  omnibus  ?     Surely  not  ! 

"  Still,  a  fall's  a  hawful  thing.  Fancy  a 
great  sixteen  'and  'oss  lyin'  on  one  like  a  blanket, 
or  sittin'  with  his  monstrous  hemispheres  on 
one's  chest,  sendin'  one's  werry  soul  out  o'  one's 
nostrils !  Dreadful  thought !  Vere's  the  brandy  ? " 
Hereupon  Mr.  Jorrocks  again  retired  to  the  back 
of  the  platform  to  compose  his  nerves. 

"  Now,  my  beloved  'carers,"  continued  he, 
returning  and  wiping  his  mouth  on  the  back 
of  his  hand, — "  Now,  my  beloved  'earers,  let's 
draw  on  old  Peter  for  a  run,  for  I  really  think 
a  good  suck  of  'im  is  a'most  as  good  as  a  tuck 
out  at  the  Ship  and  Turtle  Tavern. 

"  Here  we  'ave  'im,"  continued  Mr.  Jorrocks, 

28 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

opening  at  the  place,  and  proceeding  to  read 
with  all  due  energy  and  emphasis  :  "  '  Mind, 
Galloper,  'ow  he  leads  them  ?  It's  difficult 
to  'stinguish  which  is  first,  they  run  in  such 
good  style  ;  yet  he  is  the  foremost  'ound.  The 
goodness  of  his  nose  is  not  less  excellent  than 
his  speed  : — 'ow  he  carries  the  scent !  and  when 
he  loses  it,  see  'ow  eagerly  he  flings  to  recover 
it  again !  There — now  he's  at  'ead  again  ! 
See  'ow  they  top  the  'edge  !  Now,  now  they 
mount  the  'ill  ! — Observe  wot  a  'ead  they  carry  ; 
and  show  me,  if  thou  canst,  one  shuffler  or 
shirker  'mongst  'em  all  :  are  they  not  like  a 
parcel  of  brave  fellows,  who,  when  they  'gage 
in  an  undertakin',  determine  to  share  its  fatigue 
and  its  dangers  equally'  mongst  them  ? ' 

"  Capital !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Jorrocks,  smack- 
ing his  lips.  "  Excellent  indeed.  That's  jest 
precisely  like  my  'ounds. 

"  Dash  my  vig,  if  I  could  but  get  a  clever 
feller  like  Leech  to  draw  me  a  panorama  o' 
the  chase,  with  all  my  beauties  goin'  like  beans 

29 


JORROCKS    ON    'UNTING 

— 'eads  up  and  sterns  down,  and  a  lot  o'  trumps 
ridin'  as  they  should  do — near  enough  to  'ear 
their  sweet  music,  but  not  too  near  to  prevent 
their  swingin'  and  spreadin'  like  a  rocket  to 
make  their  own  cast,  I'd — I'd — I'd — bowl 
Halbert  Smith  and  his  wite  mountain  and  his 
black  box  right  down  Sin  Jimses  Street  into  the 
Thames,  and  set  up  i'  the  'Giptian  'All  myself." 
(Great  laughter  and  applause.)  When  it  sub- 
sided, Mr.  Jorrocks,  returning  to  his  volume,  said, 
"  Peter  now  does  a  little  potry,  and  we'll 
do  ditto.     Here  it  is  : — 


Far  o^er  the  rocky  ^ills  we  range, 


And  dangerous  our  course  ;    but  in  the  brave 
True  courage  never  jails.     In  wain  the  stream 
In  foaming  eddies  whirls,  in  wain  the  ditch 
Wide  gapn^  threatens  death.     I'he  craggy  steep, 
Where  the  poor  dizzy  shepherd  crawls  with  care, 
And  clings  to  every  twig,  gives  us  no  pain  ; 
But  down  we  sweep,  as  stoops  the  falcon  bold 
To  pounce  his  prey.     Then  hup  the  opponent  Hit 
30 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

By  the  szvift  motion  slung,  we  mount  aloft  ; 
So  ships  r  winter  seas  now  sliding  sink 
A  down  the  steepy  wave,  then  tossed  on  ^igh 
Ride  on  the  billows  and  defy  the  storm,'' 

"  That's  capital,  too,"  observed  Mr.  Jorrocks, 
conning  the  matter  over,  '^  werry  superior 
readin',  indeed,  but  some'ow  or  other,  I  thinks 
I  likes  old  Peter  better  ;  it  comes  more  nattural 
like.  'Ere,  for  instance,  is  a  bit  o'  fine  sportin' 
scenery,  that  makes  one  feel  all  over,  'unting 
like." 

Mr.  Jorrocks  then  read  as  follows  : — 
"  '  It  was  then  the  fox  I  saw,  as  we  came 
down  the  'ill ; — those  crows  directed  me 
which  way  to  look,  and  the  ship  ran  from  'im 
as  he  passed  along.  The  'ounds  are  now  on 
the  werry  spot,  yet  the  ship  stop  them  not, 
for  they  dash  beyond  them.  Now  see  with 
wot  heagerness  they  cross  the  plain  ! — Galloper 
no  longer  keeps  his  place  ;  Brusher  takes  it 
— see   'ow   he   flings   for   the   scent,    and   'ow 

31 


JORROCKS    ON    ^UNTING 

impetuously  he  runs  !  'Ow  heagerly  he  took 
the  lead,  and  'ow  he  strives  to  keep  it.  Yet 
Wictor  comes  hup  apace.  He  reaches  'im. 
See  wot  an  excellent  race  it  is  between  them  ! 
It  is  doubtful  which  will  reach  the  cover  first. 
'Ow  equally  they  run  !  'Ow  heagerly  they 
strain  !  Now  Wictor — Wictor  ! — Ah,  Brusher, 
you  are  beaten  ;  Wictor  first  tops  the  'edge. 
See  there  !  See  'ow  they  all  take  in  their 
strokes  !  The  'edge  cracks  with  their  weight, 
so  many  jump  at  once.' 

'*  Capital,  indeed,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Jorrocks  ; 
"  most  excellent,  I  may  say.  All  sheer  'unting 
— no  nasty  jealous  stipple  chase  ridin',  hurry- 
ing 'ounds  a  mile  beyond  the  scent.  No 
'  go-alongs !  there  are  three  couple  of  'ounds 
on  the  scent,'  but  real  '  Fox  et  preteria 
nihil,'  as  Hego  would  say.  Blow  me  tight, 
if  such  readin'  doesn't  parfectlie  bust  me," 
added  he,  again  retiring  to  the  brandy  amidst 
the  loud  and  long-continued  applause  of  the 
company. 


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